Friday, August 17, 2012

Pussy Riot: Guilty of 'Hooliganism'--Get Two-Year Prison Terms

UPDATE #2 Just now, at 10:15 ET, on camea, the three led out of glass box, ushered away in handcuffs--smiling. And see my post on protests and arrests, from Moscow to NYC.

UPDATE Judge just sentenced the guilty three to prison--a two-year sentence, starting from time of arrests in March. Someone in courtroom shouts: "Shame! Shame!" Some had expected suspended sentences.

Watch live from courtroom via RT.com with English translation. Surreal: They are still showing post-sentencing view with many cops surrounding glass box holding the three women, as if in zoo. Groups of media photogs allowed to come in, snapping away. Defendants very composed.

Earlier: The closely watched verdict came down this morning in Moscow. And former chess champ and anti-Putin activist Garry Kasparov has just been arrested outside courtroom (see left). NYT at top of site right now has photo of Kasparov seized in the street. Follow AFP's live report here.

AP: "The judge said the three band members committed hooliganism driven by religious hatred and offending religious believers. The three were arrested in March after a guerrilla performance in Moscow's main cathedral calling for the Virgin Mary to protect Russia against Vladimir Putin, who was elected to a new term as Russia's president a few days later. They face a maximum seven years in prison. The sentence is to be handed down later Friday....

"Before Friday's proceedings began, defense lawyer Nikolai Polozov said the women 'hope for an acquittal but they are ready to continue to fight.' There was a heavy police presence around the court building in central Moscow, where hundreds of protesters and band supporters were gathering." Much more at live-blog at The Guardian.

Just today the IHT has a piece on worldwide protest under the title "We're All Pussy Riot Now." Protests are planned in dozens of cities and see early report and wild photo here. If you've somehow missed, the performance that got them in trouble:

1 comment:

Try the same feat in your church or Synagogue in the USA or ask Paul McCartney what would happen if these same women tried their stunt in Westminster Cathedral. These are hooligans and should have been sentenced longer just as the USA would have done, I would say they would get at least 7 years in the land of the free.

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G.M. is the author of more than a dozen books (click on covers above and below), the longtime editor of Editor & Publisher and until recently a daily writer for The Nation. Email: epic1934@aol.com. Twitter: @GregMitch